1. Chapter 8 – Governors of Texas

2. Learning Objectives
8.1 Identify the eligibility requirements, term, succession process, and removal process for Texas governors
8.2 Analyze how governors use their formal powers
8.3 Evaluate the governors’ use of informal powers by the Texas governor to advance agendas
8.4 Assess the strength of the Texas governor and proposals to modify gubernatorial power

3. Rules of the Office Eligibility Informal qualifications
Thirty years of age
Citizen of the United States
Resided in Texas for at least five years immediately preceding election
Cannot hold any other office
Informal qualifications
Brilliance of mind
Legal knowledge
Political experience
Sound knowledge of business and industry

4. Rules of the Office Terms Removal from office 1876 term is two years
1972 extended to four years
No term limits
Removal from office
Impeachment
Only one governor impeached: James E. Ferguson
Two Stages
Texas House of Representatives cast a majority vote in favor
Texas Senate sits as jury

5. Rules of the Office Succession Salary and Staff
Lieutenant governor is next in line for governor
Salary and Staff
$150,000 annually
Almost 300 staff members

6. Formal Powers of Texas Governors
Execution of Laws
Executive Orders: legally binding orders from the governor that are used to direct government in the execution of law
Proclamations: gubernatorial orders that are used to make factual determinations to trigger other available powers
Appointment Powers
More than 3,000 positions
Appointment power shared with state Senate
Approves all appointments

7. Formal Powers of Texas Governors
Legislative Powers
Recommending legislation
Legislative “emergencies”
Special sessions
Veto Powers: formal, constitutional decisions to formally reject a resolution or bill made by the legislature
Line Item Veto: a veto that allows the governor to reject a specific provision in a bill without rejecting the whole bill
Military Powers
Judicial Powers: Pardon and Clemency
Pardon: Forgive a crime
Clemency: Power to reduce or delay punishment

8. Informal Powers of Texas Governors
Informal Powers: actions governors might take that are not formally written but are exercised through the activities of the governor
Legislative Bargaining
Meals and Midnight visits
Endorsements
Working the Floor
Going Public
Dealing with the Media

9. Informal Powers of Texas Governors
Agenda Setting
Informal power of the governor to use his public platform to set the state’s political and policy agenda
Citizen Advisory Group
Budget
Budget execution: the governor’s implementation of the budget when the legislature is not in session
Inaugural Speech
address that is not constitutionally required but is conventionally delivered at the beginning of a new gubernatorial term
State of the State Address
address used by governors to set a policy agenda
Party Leader
Personal Outreach
Economic Cheerleader

10. Weak and Strong Governors
Sheer Length of Term
Appointees
Party Power
Criticisms and Reforms
Appointment Powers
Cronyism
Removal Powers
Budget Powers

11. Texas Takeaways
To run for governor in Texas, a candidate must be at least 30 years of age and a citizen of the United States and must have resided in Texas for at least five years immediately preceding his or her election.
Governors serve three and one-half years, on average.
The Texas legislature impeaches a governor in a two-stage process. First, the Texas House of Representatives investigates charges and must cast a majority vote in favor of impeachment. Second, the Texas Senate sits as a jury, hearing and evaluating the evidence in a trial setting. To convict an individual who has been impeached by the house and remove them from office, two-thirds of the senate must agree.

12. Texas Takeaways
Governors routinely use executive orders, proclamations, political appointments, vetoes, line item vetoes, pardon powers, and military powers to run the executive branch. The governor also has his or her hand in the legislative side of things. Governors recommend legislation, declare legislative emergencies, call special sessions, and bargain with legislators.
The governor has the power to call the legislature into special session on any issue they choose, and sessions can last up to 30 days after the biennial 140-day session is over.
Governors veto approximately thirty pieces of legislation per legislative session.
Vetoes are almost never overturned. Only one has been recorded in Texas history.

13. Texas Takeaways
The Governors’ informal powers are chief legislative bargainers, agenda setters and budget negotiators, party leaders, and economic cheerleaders.
Governors succeed more than 50 percent of the time on their agenda issues, although this is higher when governors are first elected to office or when political forces align.
The governor’s annual State of the State Speech and their inaugural address are both used to set the governor’s political and legislative agenda.

14. Texas Takeaways
The powers of the Texas governor are weak on paper but strong in practice. Stronger governors exercise their powers more vigorously.
Texas ranks comparatively low on an index of power; but in practice, Texas governors have used the powers of the office to make themselves politically stronger.
Texas governors have expanded their political powers through aggressive use of appointment powers, the veto, party building, and staying longer in office.